OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
The OPTICON I3
•19.2 Million Euro EC grant over 5 years
•47 partners, many involving several labs/telescopes under single agency umbrella
•Networking via ~ 15 working groups.
•Transnational access to 18 night-time and 4 solar telescopes
•6 Joint Research Activities in Technology
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
ManagementOPTICON Board (18 partners) sets overall strategy and
priorities at annual meeting.
Executive committee (~9 agencies) make detailed financial decisions to implement that strategy ~ 6 monthly.
Cambridge (Gerry + Suzanne) is co-ordinator and finance office.
Project Office (John + Saskia at UKATC) supports board, runs some networks, attends board, manages budgets etc
Access Office (Jesus + Anselmo, at IAC) runs telescope grants,
JRA’s and some networks have internal management
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
A Bit of HistoryOutline 5yr budgets were set at the beginning of the project (2004).
Regular monitoring of these budgets and progress achieved duringthe course of the activities by JKD/GG reporting to Executive and Board
.
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
A Bit of HistoryOutline 5yr budgets were set at the beginning of the project (2004).
Regular monitoring of these budgets and progress achieved duringthe course of the activities by JKD/GG reporting to Executive and Board
JRA-3 (HTRA detectors) restructured, new PI, different budget distribution
JRA-2 had budget increase after Venice Exec meeting to cope with new demands
N3.4 (AVO) had programme extended, and its budget increased as circumstances changed, then its was spun off.
N4 (Space Ground Synergy) terminated and budget redeployed at Heidelberg Board meeting when it was clear that it had done as much as possible
Access Programme was oversubscribed, braked hard and then expanded.
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
A Bit of HistoryOutline 5yr budgets were set at the beginning of the project (2004).
Regular monitoring of these budgets and progress achieved duringthe course of the activities by JKD/GG reporting to Executive and Board
JRA-3 (HTRA detectors) restructured, new PI, different budget distribution
JRA-2 had budget increase after Venice Exec meeting to cope with new demands
N3.4 (AVO) had programme extended, and its budget increased as circumstances changed, then its was spun off.
N4 (Space Ground Synergy) terminated and budget redeployed at Heidelberg Board meeting when it was clear that it had done as much as possible
Access Programme was oversubscribed, braked hard and then expanded.
Project is dynamic and responsive
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Financial Controls
Ideally, we want to keep all activities within budget AND keep the distribution between agencies much as expected AND keep the cash flow under control despite long lags in the system. This does not sound simple.
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Financial Controls
Ideally, we want to keep all activities within budget AND keep the distribution between agencies much as expected AND keep the cash flow under control despite long lags in the system. This does not sound simple. In fact it is even harder than it sounds!
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
The Matrix
Agencies report to the EU this way
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
The Matrix
Agencies report to the EU this way
but activities are managed this way
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Financial controlDespite this complexity, by maintaining a detailed overview of every Form C submitted and by deconstructing its contents using the associated JoR form, fairly tight controls have been maintained. Activities going off track have been warned, and corrective action taken.
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Financial controlDespite this complexity, by maintaining a detailed overview of every Form C submitted and by deconstructing its contents using the associated JoR form, fairly tight controls have been maintained. Activities going off track have been warned, and corrective action taken.
So, in almost every case, we have indeed stayed within the planned budgets and no major upsets are expected at the end. (Unless there are any ‘Unknown- Unknowns’)
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Status Report2007 Annual report accepted by EC.2007/8 Payment received from EC.
•Reporting issues with INSU budget resolved and plan agreed.•Technical issues with TNO over JRA-5 being resolved but TNO payment frozen by EC due to audit issues unconnected with OPTICON.•Proposals made to INAF over reporting anomalies but no resolution yet
2007/8 payments made to all but 2 contractors (INAF & TNO).Access programme fully allocated, final runs happening now.No known problems with JRA or Networks
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Finance report. November08FP6 Budget (EU contribution) 19,200,000
Total spend (declared via form C’s) by 31/12/07 = 16,229,696
So, remaining to spend on 1/1/2008 = 2,970,304
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
2007/08 Payments
Cash just received from EU= 1,901,546(Recall that this payment is a refund of outstanding costs to 31/12/07 +
an 80% advance for 2008 plans, but reduced by the EC retention of 15%. of presently unaudited costs)
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
2007/08 Payments
Cash just received from EU= 1,901,546(Recall that this payment is a refund of outstanding costs to 31/12/07 +
an 80% advance for 2008 plans, but reduced by the EC retention of 15%. of presently unaudited costs)
Paid out by November 2008 = 1,172,266
Cash in hand at Cambridge now = 786,980
OPTICON budget retained in Brx= 643,083
-----------
Available to distribute at end 2008 1,430,063
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Projection to End of FP6Cash at UCAM and EC retention = 1,430,000
Liabilities
2008 User Fees 1,070,000
Remaining JRA spend (last 20% of 2008) 240,000
Remaining N/w spend (last 20% of 2008) 157,000
Audits (estimate) 10,000
Travel grants for access (estimate) 0
----------------
1,477,000
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Outcome Projected overspend under these assumptions: 47K, or
0.2% of budget.
This is completely in the noise as regards outturns for most JRA, for the larger network costs, the TNO and INAF issues and for 2008 audit and EU financial control adjustments, so we need to have options for both potential over and underspends at the end.
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Final Balancing
Adjustment options (if required)
Do not refund 100% at over allocating telescopes.
Slightly under-refund major partners.
Reduce -ve adjustments at INSU and NOVA (and any others)
Re-evaluate all Form C to check for under/over-reporting
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Plan for existing cash balance. Although 2008 access costs are already known with some
precision, last minute changes, audit fees etc make precise payments now impossible. Proposal is to:
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Plan for existing cash balance. Although 2008 access costs are already known with some
precision, last minute changes, audit fees etc make precise payments now impossible. Proposal is to:
Make any urgently needed payments needed before end 2008 for cash flow limited contractors..
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Plan for existing cash balance. Although 2008 access costs are already known with some
precision, last minute changes, audit fees etc make precise payments now impossible. Proposal is to:
Make any urgently needed payments needed before end 2008 for cash flow limited contractors..
Retain balance at UCAM until early 2009 then pay it out to smaller, and in particular FP6 only, contractors on receipt of audited form C’s to close out the FP6 activity at these contractors in a timely way.
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Plan for existing cash balance. Although 2008 access costs are already known with some
precision, last minute changes, audit fees etc make precise payments now impossible. Proposal is to:
Make any urgently needed payments needed before end 2008 for cash flow limited contractors..
Retain balance at UCAM until early 2009 then pay it out to smaller, and in particular FP6 only, contractors on receipt of audited form C’s to close out the FP6 activity at these contractors in a timely way.
Refund remaining partners once FP6 final report accepted and EC release retained cash.
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
FIN
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Access in FP6 and FP7
John Davies
OPTICON Project Scientist.
UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UKATC)
Royal Observatory, Edinburgh
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
FP6 Summary
Units contracted = 1148. Delivered = 1204
4m 295 284.5
2m 625 668.5
solar 228 251.0
Contract Delivered
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
FP6 Summary
Units contracted = 1148. Delivered = 1204
Planned spend 4,660,465. Actual spend 4,655,205 (99.887%)
4m 295 284.5
2m 625 668.5
solar 228 251.0
Contract Delivered
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
The FP7 Access Programme
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
FP7 Budget• 15ME requested for OPTICON
• Arbitrary cut by EC to 10ME
• Allocation to Access/TDF as follows
User fee budget 2000K, TDF,Office,etc 430K
This is enough for a only a few units at each telescope each year. ~105 nights/days per
year
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
FP7 Starting Assumptions1. Board decision not to exclude any telescopes now
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
FP7 Starting Assumptions1. Board decision not to exclude any telescopes now
2. Assume four year contract
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
FP7 Starting Assumptions1. Board decision not to exclude any telescopes now
2. Assume four year contract
3. Anticipate continuing and improved access budget later in FP7
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Conclusions from Schipol TDF
1. We will not accept less than 100% refunds for nights allocated by OPTICON.
2. We will not break the UF/Travel grant link, but will transfer some money (~50K) to the Enhancement network for extra travel support to telescopes..
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Conclusions from Schipol TDF
1. We will not accept less than 100% refunds for nights allocated by OPTICON.
2. We will not break the UF/Travel grant link, but will transfer some money (~50K) to the Enhancement network for extra travel support to telescopes..
3 We propose to predefine a split of funds ~14% solar ~86% night-time and allocate them separately
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Conclusions from Schipol TDF
1. We will not accept less than 100% refunds for nights allocated by OPTICON.
2. We will not break the UF/Travel grant link, but will transfer some money (~50K) to the Enhancement network for extra travel support to telescopes..
3 We propose to predefine a split of funds ~14% solar ~86% night-time and allocate them separately
Strategic Issue?
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Night-time Options Considered
1. As now for 2009. Adopt new plan from 10A based on OPTICON TAC and allowing the money to follow the scientific priorities.
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Night-time Options Considered
1. As now for 2009. Adopt new plan from 10A based on OPTICON TAC and allowing the money to follow the scientific priorities.
2. Stop the access programme until after ETSRC review
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Night-time Options Considered
1. As now for 2009. Adopt new plan from 10A based on OPTICON TAC and allowing the money to follow the scientific priorities.
2. Stop the access programme until after ETSRC review
3. Allocate as now until ETSRC review then move to new, as yet undefined, scheme on subset of telescopes.
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Night-time Options Considered
1. As now for 2009. Adopt new plan from 10A based on OPTICON TAC and allowing the money to follow the scientific priorities.
2. Stop the access programme until after ETSRC review
3. Allocate as now until ETSRC review then move to new, as yet undefined, scheme on subset of telescopes.
4. Spend all the money in 09 +10 on ‘as now’ basis, ask for more money later for ETSRC implementation
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Night-time Options Considered
1. As now for 2009. Adopt new plan from 10A based on OPTICON TAC and allowing the money to follow the scientific priorities.
2. Stop the access programme until after ETSRC review
3. Allocate as now until ETSRC review then move to new, as yet undefined, scheme on subset of telescopes.
4. Spend all the money in 09 +10 on ‘as now’ basis, ask for more money later for ETSRC implementation
5. Support travel only until ETSRC implementation
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Outcome.
Solar telescopes to be scheduled by EAST who will provide TAG process and travel support
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Outcome.
Solar telescopes to be scheduled by EAST who will provide TAG process and travel support
As now (ie own TAC) for night telescopes in 09A+B.
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Outcome.
Solar telescopes to be scheduled by EAST who will provide TAG process and travel support
As now (ie own TAC) for night telescopes in 09A+B.
09A+09B total allocations capped at 6nights/3m and 14 nights/2m to restrict cash flow to a no more than a flat spending profile
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Outcome. Solar telescopes to be scheduled by EAST who will provide TAG process
and travel support
As now (ie own TAC) for night telescopes in 09A+B.
09A+09B total allocations capped at 6nights/3m and 14 nights/2m to restrict cash flow to a no more than a flat spending profile.
Implement new plan from 10A based on an OPTICON TAC and allow the user fee money to follow the scientific priorities.
New Access office at ING
Details to be worked out in the Spring
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Pro: Clearly an advance on FP6.
Prototype for new scheme?
More control over TAC process
Network can evolve based on demand and
availability of nights and cash
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Pro: Clearly an advance on FP6.
Prototype for new scheme?
More control over TAC process
Network can evolve based on demand and
availability of nights and cash
Con: Requires effort and cash for new processes
(Eg: TAC, new s/w)
No assured income for each telescope.
May not fit with ETSRC outcomes
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Future of TDF.
Will review future structure, chairperson, meeting format, ToR etc at its next meeting. (2009 JENAM)
Will hold open session at JENAM on future plans to exchange info between TDF and engage with community.
Propose to organise one-off meeting of smaller telescope directors (esp from CEE countries) to see if more can be done and if programme meets their needs.
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
The FP7 Access Programme
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
OPTICON Board Meeting
Porto 2008
Option 1 Details
1. Ask telescopes to place optional number of nights in the pool.
2. Make call indicating max possible nights available at each telescope
3. After deadline send proposals to TAC and telescopes for assessment
4. TAC meeting, produce ranked list, using OPTICON rules
5. Provisionally buy nights from telescopes, releasing clearly unused nights back to national TACs
6. Modify allocations as required in light of scheduling issues
